The disclosure relates to a lifting and conveying device and a section conveyor having the lifting and conveying device.
A section conveyor has one or more conveyor lines. For each conveyor line, a conveyor means revolves continuously along a linear or curved conveyor path. The item to be conveyed is usually supported on the conveyor means by means of a workpiece carrier. The conveyor means often has two parallel strands, for example conveyor belts, arranged on both sides of a center axis of the conveyor path. Therefore, the conveyor line moves the workpiece carrier and the workpiece along the conveyor path to a point at which the workpiece carrier with the workpiece must be transferred, for example, to another, in particular intersecting or angled, conveyor line or to a processing station. To this end, a device is required, which lifts the workpiece carrier from the first conveyor line and moves it to the second conveyor line or the processing station. Such a device must consequently be able to execute a lifting and conveying movement and is therefore referred to as a lifting and conveying device. Since the conveying movement often takes place transversely to the first conveyor line, the term transverse lifting unit is customary.
Printed document EP 1 318 088 B1 discloses a lifting and conveying device having a base body which is fastened in a stationary manner and a pneumatic lifting cylinder arranged thereon. The linearly movable piston thereof is coupled to a lifting body of the device, at which a revolving conveyor means is deflected. In normal operation, the conveyor path of the device, which is formed by the conveyor means, is lowered below the conveyor path of the conveyor line and therefore out of engagement with passing workpiece carriers. If a workpiece carrier is to be relocated, the piston, and therefore the lifting body, executes an upward lift and lifts the workpiece carrier from the first conveyor line. The workpiece carrier then no longer lies on the conveyor means of the first conveyor line, but on that of the lifting and conveying device. If the conveyor means thereof is now set in motion, the workpiece carrier is moved in the direction of the conveyor path of the device, i.e. transversely to the first conveyor line, and conveyed to the second conveyor line.
Disadvantages of the disclosed solution can be the relative complex manner of supplying pneumatic pressure medium to the pneumatic cylinder, the large installation space required by the pneumatic cylinder and a comparatively low load capacity of the pneumatic cylinder.